What are the conservation benefits?

There is an increasing recognition that farm and forest land, clean water and air, diverse wildlife habitats, scenic vistas and rural character have public as well as private value. The Easement Purchase Program provides a means for attaining a balance between landowner’s rights and responsibilities and the public value of rural land. The Easement Purchase Program supports the goals of the Comprehensive Plan by adding an additional tool to protect the County’s natural, scenic, cultural and historical resources, promoting a stable, sustainable and vital agricultural and forestry base, and protecting the County’s surface and groundwater supplies.